Run Jamaica Run!


Let’s face it; we live in a competitive world with uneven playing fields. Most of us see the Olympic Games as an opportunity for the individuals to represent their country and themselves. Originally the Olympic Games was a test of speed, strength, and endurance; A test of human superiority. Track and Field is the embodiment of the Olympics. It provides the most equality. The richest king has no advantage over the poorest peasant when it comes to a foot-race.

Every night, we watch 8 athletes battle for supremacy. Runners from poor nameless countries go head-to-head with the superpowers of the world. For only a moment; class, ethnicity, income, and all other social measuring sticks mean nothing. We watch in awe as dreams are made and broken. We are inspired, entertained, and emotionally connected. A lifetime of dedication and discipline ultimately amounts to a photo finish. Each race is a new adventure. Will our fastest representatives validate our pride with a victory or teach us a lesson in humility with a hard fought loss?

Well…. Unless you’re Jamaican, it’s the later. Currently the titles of World’s Fastest Man and Woman are owned by residents of a small improvised island called Jamaica. Jamaica in its self is an oddity; A nation as small as the state of Connecticut has produced some of the world’s most influential people. The world has long admired the mind of Marcus Garvey, the soul of Bob Marley, and now let us marvel the bodies of the 2008 Jamaican Olympic Track Team.

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0 responses to “Run Jamaica Run!”

  1. You are a small improvised idiot to write this crap. Have you ever been out of America ?? You have definately never been to the Caribbean ? We aint Mexico buddy.

  2. I’m enjoying these Olympics for I love watching the American big mouths getting their words stuffed in/up their mouths. Oh boy another american relay team just dropped the batton 🙂 was that Lo Lo or was that the pole vaulter 🙂 LOSERS

  3. As a fellow JAMAICAN I am extremely proud of the Athletes and as a Howard Alumni I am excited about our Alumni DAVID OLIVER for winning the BRONZE for the 110 m Hurdles.

    To be Jamaican and a Howard Grad right now, is the most amazing feeling

    BIG UP DI YARD MASSIVE AND HOWARD UNIVERSITY CREW!!!!!!!!

  4. Jason Alleyne…Pure Ignorance!! Jamaica is a poor island (sans the travel industry..but where is the money going???).

    I KNOW THIS FIRST HAND!! How do I know, my parents are Jamaicans and I’ve been back to the Island on several occasions. Corrupt government (what happened to ya boy with the lightbulb scandal back in February???). No career or economic provisions for the young people..(JCS, Grace Kelly LTD and Air Jamaica can not suffice)… The track players from JA are good…wanna know why..CAUSE THEY ARE RUNNING FOR A BETTER LIFE. I’m going to assume the reason why you are here (legally I hope) in the US is because you yourself want a better life because you know how it is in JA!! So don’t come on here with the ignorance. Save that for the jamaicagleaner.com or some sideshow West Indian publication you can get at your local Jamaican bakery!

    In case you did’nt catch what I just said….

    Mi know sey it naw guh tek long before one of mi loud mout country men woulda down-tak the US. Mek no sense a tall. Before you just take di victry and big-up di Island positively, yuh haffi chat bout how di US dem a losers and the editor is idiot. Jeez am!! You is the idiot. Look pin di list Tito post!

    Look ere, if tings betta pon di rock, why yuh nuh just go back dere. Cause ah ignarant people like you, mek di whole a we look bad.

    chuh

  5. I am always a PROUD JAMAICAN. Would never trade my roots and heritage for anything in the world. Keep all the negativity to yourself tito. Just celebrate the fact that our countrymen are doing exceptional. Big up to all yardie. Looking forward to 2012 in London, yuh know seh di stadium a guh be filled with yardie.

  6. Good LAWD! I guess going to FAMU — we had so many different cultures of black/african folks (I lump all of us with African descent in the same category on certain things) — I was just as CRUNK (HAPPY) to see Bolt WIN as the Jamaicans…LOL!

    Please..stop the hate people…that man is representing for us all!!

  7. Excuse me, we are NOT impoverished!!! We may not have as many resources as a lot of other countries…but we have done great things with the little we have and will continue to do so.

    We have a lot to be proud of and and we have enough to deal with than folks belittling us in any way!

    And for T Jackson…there are many of us Howard U and other US University alumnus who have CHOSEN to return to this little rock (dem neva trow we out nor deport wi and wi family nuh have nuh money fi min’ wi here) and we are doing very well…Thank You very much!

  8. What a back handed compliment!!! Every Jamaican who i read this article to took offense to it. It is fair to say that Jamaica has always entered the Olympics (even when we were under the British) and we have always had some outstanding runners eg Herb Mckenley, Arthur Wint and our bronze queen Merlene Otty. Secondly we are not an impoverished nation!!! Money in Jamaica is misappropriate no more or less than in any other country. Lastly we have plenty in Jamaica, we have alot of heart, alot of love and a great passion for life.

    For more on Jamaican Athletes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Jamaican_athletics

  9. looks like anyone can drop the baton, huh? Like my Grandfather said, “ain’t no fun when da rabbit got da gun!” so both very good teams made mistakes…Russia got the gold? Belgium got the silver? Gimme a break.

    like Stacia said, we are all Black from the same continent so we should support each other not get on such a high horse, cuz that’s a long fall! I’m proud of the accomplishments of all the Olympians…specially since I’m sitting on the couch eating Oreos watching it all.

    be good ya’ll.

  10. 1. I, Tito am Jamaican. (St. Elizabeth, Jamaica)
    2. The point was to illustrate that a small and yes poor country can compete with the most wealthy nation when playing on an even playing field.
    3. If you feel shamed by a fact then change the fact. Send money and barrels to your relatives. Learn why the Jamaican Dollar continues to be devalued and lobby to change it. Has any one seen the documentary “Life and Debt?”

  11. Sad that the truth is always denied. We have to learn how to hear the truth without making it negative. We can’t deny the truth and Tito has told the truth. However, let’s remember the spirit he said it in. His words don’t appear to be mean-spirited but to be a commendatory statement of the success of Jamaica’s runners, inspite of the truth that other countries are wealthier and put more money into training facilities, trainers and coaches, equipment and athletes as well. True so far? OK! Also, his final comment about how to prosper the country Jamaicans love so much should be prayerfully and thoughtfully considered. There could be an answer for the struggle…

    Finallly, something we all agree on…Kudos to the Jamaican Olympians!!!

  12. Though I am not Jamaican, and have only visited the lovely country once, I am very proud of the Men’s and Women Track and Field team for Jamaica. We should all embrace them for their accomplishments. I was born and raised in Florida, but have much respect for those whose skin is the color of my own who represent in a positive way. Let’s call a spade a spade, team USA did not show up or show out! Job Well Done Jamaica!!!!!!

  13. Mi back!

    Chris. Yuh right. But miyago seh dis. Work pon di goverment. Cause it nuh make no sense how there is nuttin fi di young people in terms of career choices. Di young man dem, what dem fi do? Become a taxi man?

    Come now!

    I’m very proud of my kin folk. But, what I am not proud of is the incessant negative statements from Jamaicans about the US after Bolt won the 100m. I live in South Florida (large West Indian hub next to England, Toronto and Brooklyn/Queens/Bronx) and you would not believe the rubbish I am hearing….FROM MY KIN FOLK. Some of it calmed down when Jamaican womens 4X100 team dropped the baton during the finals…thats just proves..we all make mistakes! The US didnt bring their “A” game, The Jamaicans did. Well done my people!!! My entire family is beaming with pride!!

    Look man, American, Jamaican..it does’nt matter. We all are from ONE continent and that is Africa. Some of us got dropped off in the Carribean and some of us got dropped off on the East Coast of America.

  14. I’m and American and I was proud to see Jamiaca win. Glad to see that even athletes with training not like China’s, USA, and russia are out to do great things also. I had fun watching even when the USA messed up. After all we’re not meant to dominate everything that’s what the olympics are for. World competition, and lets face we are not always better

  15. one more thing…

    I don’t mean to burst swollen heads here but we must keep perspective about “The Rock”. My father told me, that they (the government) is planing to build a track in every parrish of JA. If it’s true…I only hope the money does NOT disapear.

    I wish JA well in their moment of recognition BUT, how will JA position themselves to use this to improve the the economic status of the island is the real question.

    have a great week everyone =)

  16. Okay people…I was hoping that all the comments were positive…I am African-American and I think my family and I were cheering louder for Usain “Lightening” Bolt from our seats at home than the people in the stadium. He was such a joy to watch and with such a pleasant and humorous personality. How can one say such ignorant things or deny him or any of his teammates the right to happiness and to rejoice in the fact that they are just as worthy to be champions. I felt like they represented all of us…meaning African descent…because we definitely ARE that! Of course, I was heartbroken when both American teams faltered in the relays, especially with them being “the only real competition” besides the Bahamas, Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago…Just give them their props and keep it movin’!!

  17. Kim I am with you. Lets not forget our roots and that we all are direct decendants of Africans. Jamaicans, Bajan, Trini, Americans etc etc we all came on that boat and were dropped of at some point. Once a black person succeeds then we should be happy. The same way we stood and fought for our rights and freedom we need to support each other. It is so easy to divide and conquer so lets keep in mind that we are all black and we might be related.
    Bolt was a true indication that we are superior athelets and we will continue to break records. Before him was Morris Green. Before him was Carl Lewis. before him was Jessie Owens. You guys get the point. So again whether he was Jamaican or American he was a decendant from Africa.. that’s my 2 cents…

  18. T Jackson,
    Sorry if I got a little heated but when you hear the US media saying things like the reason we were all gathered in Half Way Tree and Downtown to watch the big screen TV is because most of us don’t have TVs at home, you get a little touchy at any sign of criticism.

    I’m the first to admit that there are a lot of things that could be better down here but unfortunately the focus is more often than not on the negative things rather than the positive.

  19. Chris, mi bredren! It’s all good! =) Patti and Coco Bread on me if yuh come to Miami!

    jus spreading some Rattler love to a Bison!

  20. Jamaicans, You should be proud. Y’all kicked us in the a** this time. If we have to loose I want to loose to a sprinter from the Carribean. I don’t want to loose to a Greek or Russian or any of those other countries. 🙂

    Anyway, you know part of those medals are ours. Usain went to school in Jamaica, but the rest of them trained at US universities. Right?

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